When a Tree Falls
By Diane Tait
Image courtesy flickr |
I’m just about done
picking up the fallen tree limbs after Hurricane Dorian passed by. It reminded me of how lucky we in north
Florida were that the storm was far enough offshore that the wind didn’t do
more damage. I can still remember the
damage Hurricanes Matthew and Irma inflicted when they came through town. So, I thought I’d take a few moments to cover
what to do when the next named storm puts Jacksonville in the crosshairs and
trees in your neighborhood take a tumble.
1.
Into every life a little rain must fall. – Whoever coined that
phrase has obviously never been to Florida.
There’s nothing little about the rain and the wind in the Sunshine
State. (Did you know that falling trees kill more people in Florida than
lightning?) While named storms are
responsible for billions of dollars in damage when they roar through Florida,
that doesn’t mean it takes a hurricane to cause a mighty oak to crash down on
your home, shed, fence or car. Any
passing thunderstorm possesses power enough to fell a tree. Should a tree comes crashing down on your
property, the first priority is to make sure that it doesn’t pose a threat to
you or your family. That means taking care
to make sure that the tree didn’t take out an electrical line when it came
crashing down. If it did, there’s a
possibility of electrocution. Other
threats that some trees harbor can include wild animals or a beehive contained
in hollow trunks. Before you run outside
to check on the damage a fallen tree has caused, take the time to make sure
that there aren’t any other hazards that were created. More importantly, do not attempt to rectify
the situation on your own. Only
professional tree surgeons have the experience and the equipment to safely
remove a fallen tree. Trying to remove a
fallen tree on your own is not only dangerous, it risks creating more damage
which may not be covered by your insurance policy.
2.
Who’s it going to hurt? – If anyone was injured or killed by a fallen tree, the first priority is
to dial 911 to get the proper emergency assistance. After that, the next step is damage control. If the damage to your home is such that you
are forced to leave, make sure you secure your residence to discourage
looters. This could mean doing nothing
more than boarding up broken windows and covering any holes with a tarp, or it
could mean removing all your valuables to a more secure location. You should also turn off the power, the water
and the gas before evacuating your property.
This way if the fallen tree does more damage, you will have done your
part to limit its severity.
Image courtesy flickr |
4.
What if one of your trees falls on your
neighbor’s property? – While
damage done to a neighboring property doesn’t make you liable, you should still
take the time to document the damage and report it to your insurance company.
While your neighbor may not be happy about it, their homeowner’s insurance is
there to cover the damage. The rules are
such that when a tree falls, the property owner of the damaged property can use
their windstorm coverage, dwelling
coverage or other structures coverage to pay to make their home whole again,
regardless of where the tree that did the damage was located. If your tree fell on their car, the
comprehensive portion of their insurance policy should pay for the damage. If your neighbor tells you otherwise, put
them in touch with your insurance agent, rather than trying to explain it to
them yourself.
Image courtesy of USCG |
5.
What if your neighbor’s tree falls on your
property? – While your homeowner’s insurance should pay for any damage done to
your property by a neighboring tree (Minus your deductible), there is one thing
you need to be made aware. If the tree
that did the damage was decrepit or diseased and you did nothing to express
your concerns to your neighbor, your insurance company may try to deny the
claim. If, on the other hand, you
expressed your concerns to your neighbor about the ill-fated tree in writing, and/or
paid to have the sickly tree evaluated by a professional tree surgeon, this
will put you in a better position to have your insurance company argue your
neighbor’s negligence in the event you file a claim.
6. What
other factors do you need to be aware of when it comes to fallen trees? – Just as you need
to keep the health of neighboring trees in mind, you also need to make sure the
trees on your property are not sickly, rotting or leaning if you want to make
sure your claim isn’t denied in the future.
Like it or not, your insurance company isn’t going to accept the
responsibility for damage caused by your negligence to properly maintain your
property. Failure to keep your trees in
good repair could also come to haunt you if your sickly tree should fall onto a
neighboring property. Better to pay to
have your trees pruned every few years than to wind up being served with a
lawsuit at some future date.
Diane Tait
owns and operates A&B Insurance. To find out more about how you can save
money on home owner’s insurance, go to her site or fill out the form at right.
Hurricane season isn't over yet, gang. Here comes Humberto.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't take a hurricane to bing a tree down. We have lots of storms in Florida so make sure your covered.
ReplyDelete